Jan 7, 2018 – Chase the Lion

2 Samuel 23:20-23 (NIV) 20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

Lion hunter isn’t the profession for everyone. We live in a part of the country where there are lion hunters. You could

see a lion in the park or the national forest. You can see one under your porch.

For most people, just the idea of actually encountering a lion, be it a mountain lion or an African lion, is enough to

induce fear. Were you to encounter a real one, your natural “fight or flight” reaction would be to run! Run away.

Then there are the lion chasers, who run to the roar. They don’t see a problem. They see an opportunity. They go

for it.

We hear a seemingly obscure passage at the end of 2 Samuel. Many scholars see this section as a kind of

appendix to the narrative of King David’s reign. The section honors David’s Mighty Men. These thirty-seven men

were the cream of the crop of David’s army from the time before he was king, a fugitive from King Saul, then

throughout his reign.

Today, we will look at one of these Mighty Men, the inspiration of our series title, Chase the Lion, based on the

book by Mark Batterson. This Mighty Man is Benaiah, a mighty man, captain of King David’s bodyguard, and

eventually the head of the army under David son, King Solomon. (c.f. 1 Kings 2:35)

Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down

two of Moab’s best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed the lion. (2 Samuel 23:20)

According to Napoleon Bonaparte there are two kinds of courage. There is regular courage, and there is two

o’clock in the morning courage. He said the rarest attribute among generals is two o’clock in the morning courage.

Chasing a lion into a pit on a snowy day is the two o’clock kind of courage. However, that one action changed the

direction of Benaiah’s life. You are no different. You are one decision, one idea, one dream, one risk from a

completely different life. Sure, it may be the scariest decision you will ever make, but if your dream doesn’t scare

you, it’s too small.

“Scripture doesn’t explain what Benaiah was doing or where he was going when he crossed paths with the lion.

We don’t know the time of day or his frame of mind. But it does reveal his gut reaction, and it was gutsy.

“Put yourself in Benaiah’s sandals.

“Your vision is obscured by falling snow and frozen breath. Out of the corner of your eye, you detect movement.